RX3 Touratech Rally, Plain, Wash. 2015

[rjmorel]

So this past week I rode my RX3 to the Touratech Rally. Around 806 miles total, all of it in 90-114 deg heat. Went from Walla Walla, Wa to Plain ,Wa via Hanford Nuclear Reservation ,Vantage, Wenatchee, Leavenworth to Plain. If there is a " middle of nowhere" Hanford must be it. Hot ,dry and barren. Picture the buzzards circling over head just waiting.
Average mpg was 67.8. High 73mpg low 54 mpg. Traveling to and from the event was 55-60 mph on the GPS which was around 69-72 on the speedo. Temp bars were constantly at 3. Was a trip from water hole to water hole as the heat made me stop every 1/2-1 hour to rewet my cooling vest and soak my helmet liner. Cooling vests are a Godsend and are summer's answer to heated vests in the winter. Without either , the ride is not pleasant.
I should of rode my NC700x as it was quite a workout for the RX3 but you know what? It never complained, started happily every morning and became my buddy as I was headed home through the 114 degree temps realizing if the bike quits out here, I'm a goner. Hour after hour the bike would just drone along happily. The only time I wished it were my NC700x was on long uphill's going over the passes. Then I would just down shift to 5th and get in the slow lane behind trucks and let the cadgers and BMW's pass me by. In this heat I saw 6-8 cars along the road with their hoods up and tongues hanging out over heated. The RX3 reminded me of the "little engine that could" and would climb over the top of the mountains and be ready for the next one.
I told myself that on this trip with the heat I would ride the Zong like it was meant to be ridden. No Dakar style bashing up rock strewn, silt dust filled 2 track. I wanted to stay on nice pavement and just enjoy tootling around. Well so much for that idea as I did have a little adventure trying to find a friend.
Lots of pics , so I may do this in several installments.
My buddy patiently waiting

•Rattlesnake Mountain the highest mountain in the United States without any trees on it. In 1956, the Army installed a Nike Ajax missile base on the southeastern end to protect the reactors. 1st RX3 to visit Rattle Snake Mountain.

Heading down into the Columbia River crossing, reactor in the distance.

B Reactor the first large-scale nuclear reactor ever built. The project was commissioned to produce plutonium as part of the Manhattan Project during World War II. Now a National Historic Site. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_Reactor Can you feel the heat? 1st RX3 to see B Reactor.

One of the fenced gates around Hanford to keep bad guys out.

I told ya so

I couldn't help myself and just had to reach through and touch the inside of the fence post. Which I've probably paid for a million times with taxes paid. 1st RX3 to be thrown in jail

Bridge at Vantage, Columbia River

I think I found all 24 HP the RX3 had on this trip going up mountain passes. http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-...nly-half-done/

Did I die and go to heaven? Only shower at the rally for around 1000 people.

Ta Dah, here we are. 1st and only RX3 at Touratech Rally

More later as I have time to load pics, rj

[rjmorel]

Some of the vehicles that caught my eye while walking around the rally.












Took the RX3 for a leisurely ride up to Wenatchee Lake .

first RX3 to Wenatchee Lake

First RX3 at the top of the stairs

Wenatchee River coming into Leavenworth

The RX3 is perfect for tootling around looking at the lakes , rivers, etc.
More tomorrow, been busy playing catchup, rj

[SpudRider]

Thanks for posting the nice ride report, RJ.

Is that an Emgo Travel Trunk? If so, how do you like it? Did you also purchase a Catoma Lone Rider tent? Finally, what is the storage system you have attached to the top of the trunk?

[Weldangrind]

Awesome pics! Love the old CJ with the hack.

Thanks for the ride report.

[rjmorel]

[QUOTE=Is that an Emgo Travel Trunk? If so, how do you like it? Did you also purchase a Catoma Lone Rider tent? Finally, what is the storage system you have attached to the top of the trunk?[/QUOTE]

Spud, the trunk may have had a Emgo sticker on it when new . I seem to remember that name but it has "STlun" on the inside. A leftover from another bike. I believe it's another EBay Givi copy. It works well, quick detach but probably smaller then the one you have. I think yours is the all around price / size does matter "winner". Mine is bigger then the stock RX3 by maybe 1/3.
On top of the trunk I just slipped the red KLR tank bag panniers under the dry bag to hold water bottles. They are KLR specific , have a name brand on them but are back at the house so not sure who made them. The dry bag holds my sleeping bag and fleece bag liner. Beverly Hill Billie's would be proud I'm sure.
This is the Catoma 2 up motorcycle tent . It is suppose to be the one the forest fire fighters use because of quick setup and take down. Poles are always attached and snap into locking mode when setting up with spring loaded gizmos. Works fine for me and I've had it since 2011. Don't know if it's the best one to have but it lets me semi standup and plenty of room to put the panniers and trunk and my cot in when camping at one spot for awhile. Well built. No problems with it. Haven't had it in any major rain storms yet. rj


http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-CATOMA-2...item58c7cc3f49

[SpudRider]

Thanks for the good report on the Catoma 2 UP tent. I bought the Catoma Lone Rider, and I like it a lot. I posted a review of the Lone Rider tent at the following link.

http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=14361

[rjmorel]

Pics of old Blewitt Road and Lions Rock on Table Mountain


Nice 2 lane road that is deteriorating so I like to ride it whenever I'm in the area.

RX3 forte'

switch back on Blewitt


Time for Robert Frost poem

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

The new highway off in the difference.



1st RX3 at Liberty Café, nice little eatery right on highway 97.


Heading up to Lion Rock


Looks like scene from "War of the worlds" movie. Death and destruction every where.

Diamond in the rough



Yodel - Ay - EEE - Oooo Oh-di-lay-ee-ay, di-lay-dee-oh, de-lay-ee Oooooooooo

1st RX3 on top of Lion Rock, Lots of rocks, no lions.
Came up here to visit a friend who was doing a 24 hour ham radio broadcast. Never hooked up. Our cell phones were always lagging behind in text msging so had to get off mountain before it got dark and I got scared. Apparently we were within 1 mile or so when looking for one another. Next time buddy.

As I came off the mountain, my worse fears were substantiated. Off in the distance , I could see the alien "war of the worlds" machines moving up the valley. Scorching everything in their path.

Met the border patrol and told them what was going on with the aliens. They were on it and told me they'd handle it.

Rush hour traffic

Live Zong , and prosper

Final installment tomorrow. Having some problems up loading and loosing pics
rj

[rjmorel]

Rapping up my ride report here.
We got a good shower one night that cooled things down a little. Everyone just stayed where they were and enjoyed the rain coming down on us. Another 15 minutes and we could of had a wet t-shirt contest

Camp fire they had each night to raffle off prizes.

Taking down camp Sunday morning.

So on the way home I stop at Desert Ayr convenience store where they have a picnic table and green grass covered in shade by a nice tree. I laid on the grass and fell asleep until I heard a crash and see that a pickup has backed into my RX3 and his bicycle carrier caught on my wind screen extension and as he pulls away broke it in two. I was dumb founded having just waking up as I watched him drive away down the rode as if nothing happened. Thankfully nothing else was damaged.

All done for now. I really enjoyed riding the RX3 around for 4 days and it has proven to be as reliable as anything else I've owned. Take care ,rj

[SpudRider]

Thanks for posting the nice ride report with the beautiful photographs, RJ.

I'm glad your bike didn't sustain more damage from the careless motorist.

[CSCDude]

RJ, your photos and ride report are just awesome. Thanks for posting; it's a good read.

[Weldangrind]

I appreciate your writing style and sense of humour, RJ. Thanks for taking the time.

[rjmorel]

Welcome everyone. This bike is a real joy to me. Now if we could get rid of this hot weather here I can come out from under my rock and enjoy it some more, rj